Systems and methods for repair of vehicle body damage

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods of repairing damage to the body structure of a vehicle based on a comparison of vehicle damage to vehicle specification data to indicate the magnitude and direction of vehicle damage to formulate a repair plan for review.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 16/735,344, filed on Jan. 6, 2020, which claimed the benefit ofU.S. Provisional Application No. 62/788,584, filed on Jan. 4, 2019, thecontents of which are hereby incorporated herein in their entirety byreference.

BACKGROUND

Automobiles are often involved in accidents or are damaged by objectssuch as shopping carts, rocks, road hazards, etc. This damage usuallyaffects portions of the automobile upper body, and in severe cases, mayextend to the chassis and frame as well. In order to properly repairthis damage, collision repair shops must have the information andequipment required to repair any portion of the entire automobile,including the upper body, which contains openings for the windows,doors, etc. as well as for the sensors used for vehicle safety systems.Such repair includes ensuring that all openings are aligned correctlywith each other and with the overall automobile body, and that allsafety sensors are correctly positioned and calibrated. Due to themultitude of parts, body openings, and attachments (such as installed ormounted sensors), the process of ensuring both local and overall(global) correct alignment of an automobile's body components can be anexpensive, complicated, and time consuming process.

Further, modern automotive design is rapidly moving towardsemi-autonomous or autonomous (i.e., effectively self-driving) vehicles.Some first steps in this process are already being implemented by theOEMs through the integration of electronic safety systems to assist andprotect drivers. For example, vehicles now commonly have advanced safetyand monitoring features such as automatic braking, lane departurealerts, blind spot warnings, and other technological systems aimed atminimizing driver mistakes and improving safety. As drivers begin torely more heavily on these assistive safety features, it is imperativethat the systems and components be properly aligned, calibrated and thatthey function correctly.

One challenge of measuring upper body configurations for repair is thatcurrent measuring devices (i.e., single point lasers, measuring gauges,and tape measures) are limited to measuring straight line distances.This can be a disadvantage, as in current automotive design, very fewsurfaces are flat, due to curvature of body panels utilized foraesthetic purposes, as well as a desire to enhance vehicle aerodynamicsto improve fuel economy. Currently OEM data for upper body components islimited to a small collection of straight-line drawings used formeasuring openings for windows, doors, trunk, engine compartment etc.These drawings are stand alone and are not shown in any typeformat/configuration that defines them with a spatial relationship toeach other.

Thus, systems and methods are needed for more efficiently enabling therepair and proper alignment of a vehicle and its component parts,sensors, openings, and attachments. Embodiments of the invention aredirected toward solving these and other problems individually andcollectively.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The terms “embodiments of the invention”, “invention,” “the invention,”“the inventive” and “the present invention” as used herein are intendedto refer broadly to all the subject matter described in this documentand to the claims. Statements containing these terms should beunderstood not to limit the subject matter described herein or to limitthe meaning or scope of the claims. The embodiments described herein aredefined by the claims and not by this summary. This summary is ahigh-level overview of various aspects of the embodiments and introducessome of the concepts that are further described in the DetailedDescription section below. This summary is not intended to identify key,required or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is itintended to be used in isolation to determine the scope of the claimedsubject matter. The subject matter should be understood by reference toappropriate portions of the entire specification of this patent, to anyor all drawings, and to each claim.

Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems, apparatuses, andmethods for enabling the repair of upper body damage to automobiles. Inone embodiment, the invention enables this repair by using a combinationof a 3D scanner apparatus in conjunction with specific data processingsteps that can be used to build a data set containing specifications fora specific vehicle or set of comparable vehicles.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentto one of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the detaileddescription of the present invention and the included figures. Forexample, embodiments of the present general inventive concept can beachieved by systems and methods adapted for taking upper bodyspecifications, sensor locations, upper body control points, andrelating them numerically and dimensionally to underbody (frame)dimensions. Using underbody points have been well-known for years in theart, but until now there has been no efficient, practical, economic, orfeasible way to produce a holistic view of the entire vehicle in amanner that will allow the values to be used in a documented repairprocess.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention in accordance with the present disclosurewill be described with reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the primary elements, stages,processes, functions, or components of an embodiment of a system andmethods for the repair of Automobile Upper Body Damage;

FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b) are flowcharts or flow diagrams illustrating stepsor stages of a process, operation, function, or method for repairing adamaged vehicle in accordance with one or more embodiments of theinventive system and methods described herein;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a damaged vehicle, showing its door andside panel(s), and that may be the subject of an embodiment of theinventive system and methods;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a set of measurements on a door of adamaged vehicle that may be made using one or more embodiments of theinventive system and methods described herein;

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a set of measurements on a rear end ofa damaged vehicle that may be made using one or more embodiments of theinventive system and methods described herein;

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating elements or components that may bepresent in a computer device or system configured to implement a method,process, function, or operation in accordance with an embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 7 illustrates some typical hail damage to a motor vehicle;

FIG. 8 illustrates more severe hail damage to a motor vehicle;

FIG. 9 illustrates a conventional manual estimate of hail damage to amotor vehicle;

FIGS. 10A-B illustrate some of the hail divot measurements that may bedetermined by a system and method according to an example embodiment ofthe present general inventive concept; and

FIG. 11 is a flow chart illustrating a method of estimating hail damageaccording to an example embodiment of the present general inventiveconcept.

Note that the same numbers are used throughout the disclosure andfigures to reference like components and features.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The subject matter of embodiments is described herein with specificityto meet statutory requirements, but this description is not necessarilyintended to limit the scope of the claims. The claimed subject mattermay be embodied in other ways, may include different elements or steps,and may be used in conjunction with other existing or futuretechnologies. This description should not be interpreted as implying anyparticular order or arrangement among or between various steps orelements except when the order of individual steps or arrangement ofelements is explicitly described.

Embodiments will be described more fully hereinafter with reference tothe accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and which show, byway of illustration, exemplary embodiments by which the invention may bepracticed. The invention may, however, be embodied in many differentforms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments setforth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that thisdisclosure will satisfy the statutory requirements and convey the scopeof the invention to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, embodimentsare not limited to the embodiments described herein or depicted in thedrawings, and various embodiments and modifications can be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the claims presented.

Among other things, the present invention may be embodied in whole or inpart as a system, as one or more methods, or as one or more devices.Embodiments of the invention may take the form of a hardware-implementedembodiment, a software implemented embodiment, or an embodimentcombining software and hardware aspects. For example, in someembodiments, one or more of the operations, functions, processes, ormethods described herein may be implemented by one or more suitableprocessing elements (such as a processor, microprocessor, CPU, GPU,controller, etc.) that is part of a client device, server, networkelement, or other form of computing or data processing device/platform.The processing element or elements are programmed with a set ofexecutable instructions (e.g., software instructions), where theinstructions may be stored in a suitable data storage element. In someembodiments, one or more of the operations, functions, processes, ormethods described herein may be implemented by a specialized form ofhardware, such as a programmable gate array (PGA or FPGA), applicationspecific integrated circuit (ASIC), or other known or later developedcircuitry and the like, specifically configured and arranged to generatesignals instructing the various components to carry out the dataprocessing functions. Note that an embodiment of the inventive methodsmay be implemented in the form of an application, a sub-routine that ispart of a larger application, a “plug-in”, an extension to thefunctionality of a data processing system or platform, or other suitableform. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be takenin a limiting sense. One of the problems with current repair processesis that the available vehicle upper body data sets and drawings(including the positioning and orientation of sensors, attachments andopenings) are in no way referenced to each other to provide aconsolidated view of a vehicle's exterior upper body. However,embodiments of this invention enable a singular group of data point(s)(for example a window) and a reference for the window grouping toanother grouping (for example to a driver door) to provide an image thatdepicts how the window should be located in the door for the driver'sside of the vehicle. Embodiments of the inventive system allow groups ofelements or components to systematically be linked to other groups ofmeasured points until the complete upperbody is illustrated in one ormore 3D models.

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to systems,apparatuses, and methods for more efficiently enabling the repair andproper alignment of a vehicle upper body in its entirety as well as itscomponent parts, sensors, openings, and attachments.

As noted, the location of currently utilized safety devices (includingsensors, such as cameras, LIDAR, radar components, etc.) is critical totheir proper operation. An initial step in making certain that thevehicle and safety systems performance meets the required standards oroperational requirements is that a sensor element or device must bepositioned so that its field of view is as designed. For example, if alane departure device cannot properly detect the white lane dividerline, then it will not operate as intended and correctly alert thedriver when the vehicle drifts out of the intended driving lane.Additionally, there are specific locations on an automobile body, suchas front and rear bumpers, where sensors are “ganged together” in anassembly or array; this should provide overlapping fields of view and asa result, can provide detection across a broader expanse (such as agreater range, angular region, resolution, etc.) than a single sensorcan monitor. It is not uncommon for front and rear bumpers to have 4 or5 sensors deployed along the bumper as part of a protection system orfeature. This arrangement may be critical to preventing an undetectedobject from being struck. For example, if there is a gap in the field ofview between two sensors it would be possible for a slender object, suchas a guard post or fire hydrant to “slip through the gap” and be struckby the auto without triggering the safety sensor alarm.

Unfortunately, there is currently no database available that containssufficient placement specifications on the upper body safety sensors'mounting points for an automobile to provide a reference or data sourcefor the sensor locations with respect to each other. For example, whenrepairing damage to a door opening, technicians typically have tophysically measure the dimensions on a door opening and compare those toa single line sketch depicting what the door opening dimensions shouldbe. These dimensions are taken from OEM drawings and serve only as areference template. Thus, having a more complete database would make therepair process much less difficult, less expensive, and eliminate thepotential for human measuring errors as well.

As is evident, now that the aforementioned sensor locations have becomecritical to maintain, the need for upper body specifications has becomeeven more pronounced. However, due to limitations of currently usedmeasuring devices there has been no efficient, accurate, andcost-effective method to produce such an upper body data set. However,embodiments of the proposed scanning method and system can not onlymeasure straight line distances, but also have the ability to providemeasurements which follow contoured surfaces. This capability isapplicable (and often essential) to measuring areas such as the multiplesensors installed on a vehicle bumper, which may wrap around the curvedend of a bumper or be mounted in/on a contoured bumper surface. Withembodiments of the proposed 3D measuring technology, it is possible toscan and accurately locate multiple bumper sensors located on contouredsurfaces in a reasonably short amount of time.

Example embodiments of the present general inventive concept can also beachieved to assist repairs when an automobile upper body database is notcurrently available. For example, until the recent advent of sensingdevices associated with the movement toward improved vehicle safety,there has been no clear need for such a database, as repairs to theupper body of a vehicle were primarily done for cosmetic reasons. Thecriteria for acceptable upper body repairs were primarily if not solelysubjective, such as straight seams between the hood and fenders orconsistency of the gap around a door or trunk opening. However, with theimplementation of safety sensors mounted in the upper body ofautomobiles, the need for specific location positions and dimensions isnow becoming pronounced.

As is evident, now that the aforementioned sensor locations have becomecritical to maintain, the need for upper body specifications has becomeeven more pronounced. However, due to limitations of currently usedmeasuring devices there has been no efficient, accurate, andcost-effective method to produce such an upper body data set. However,embodiments of the proposed 3D structured light scanning method andsystem can not only measure straight line distances, but also has theability to provide measurements which follow contoured surfaces. Thiscapability is applicable (and often essential) to measuring areas suchas the multiple sensors installed on a vehicle bumper, which may wraparound the curved end of a bumper or be mounted in/on a contoured bumpersurface. With embodiments of the proposed 3D measuring technology, itwould be possible to scan and accurately locate multiple bumper sensorslocated on contoured surfaces in a reasonably short amount of time.

Additionally, the complex designs of modern vehicles can mean criticalcontrol points are not only located above the frame and on the upperbody, but can be located inside the passenger compartment of the vehicleas well. An example of this “inside passenger compartment” locationwould be a retractable hard top, where the rails, for storing thevehicle's top in retracted position, are located behind the passengerand driver seats. Unfortunately, current technology cannot adequatelymeasure this type of control or reference points. In contrast,embodiments of the proposed 3D structured light measuring systemdescribed herein are fully capable of measuring points located in suchpositions, both individually and with respect to other points outsidethe passenger compartment.

Additionally, the complex designs of modern vehicles can mean criticalcontrol points are not only located above the frame and on the upperbody, but can be located inside the passenger compartment of the vehicleas well. An example of this “inside passenger compartment” locationwould be a retractable hard top, where the rails, for storing thevehicle's top in retracted position, are located behind the passengerand driver seats. Unfortunately, current technology cannot adequatelymeasure these types of control or reference points. In contrast,embodiments of the proposed 3D structured light measuring systemdescribed herein are fully capable of measuring points located in suchpositions, both individually and with respect to other points outsidethe passenger compartment.

Embodiments of the proposed scanner system and methods provide a definedprocess to analyze and repair upper body sections in the absence of adetailed data set or specification. In one embodiment, this type ofrepair is made by a process termed a symmetrical measuring comparison.If repairing a vehicle without a specification, an embodiment of the 3Dscanning process will allow dimensions to be taken from an undamagedside of a vehicle and used to compare to the opposite side of the samevehicle to maintain symmetry. The 3D scanner can be set to captureeither straight line dimensions between target control points oradjusted to present distances, taking into consideration surfacecontours. This is an important capability, as surface dimensions canvary significantly from straight line dimensions between the same twopoints.

The 3D structured light scanning methodology and technologies describedherein enable data to be gathered from an undamaged vehicle and compiledinto a database to be used for the correct placement of these criticalpoints when a vehicle is being repaired. The “upper body database” isthen incorporated into a software system which, after scanning a damagedvehicle, would be used to compare control point locations and positionsin space relative to the correct placement of those points on thecontrol automobile body dimensions provided in the database. The resultsof the comparison would be displayed visually and any displacementdocumented numerically as well, so that both the degree and direction ofdamage can be assessed as a repair plan is developed and executed.

However, there is a problem in that at present none of the vehiclescurrently on the road have suitable upper body specification data setsavailable to a repair shop; thus, there is need for a method to repairthese vehicles even in the absence of a database. As recognized by theinventor, this problem can be addressed by a process known assymmetrical measuring. In the “no upper body data” scenario, symmetricalmeasuring may be utilized; that is, the undamaged side of a vehicle maybe scanned and used to generate a template image. The template imagefrom the undamaged side of the vehicle can then be “mirror imaged” byappropriate software operations. In the next step, a scan of the damagedside of the vehicle is taken. The “mirror image” of the undamaged sideof the vehicle is then overlaid by the software onto the scan of thedamaged side. The software can instruct the componentry to display acolorized image depicting the magnitude and direction of damage in avery similar manner to a comparison against dimensional specificationsin the database. While this methodology works sufficiently well for arepair, it is time consuming because both the damaged and undamagedsides of the car have to be scanned. Additionally, note that in a directhit to the front or back of a vehicle, there may not remain an undamagedportion that can be used as a basis for comparison for achievingsymmetry.

The specifications gathered in the currently utilized approach tounderbody database construction are at best representative of only oneundamaged/new vehicle (as a dealer is contacted and a new vehicle may betransported to a measuring facility). This is a commonly acceptedpractice in the industry. However, considering the number of vehicles ofany model produced, and the fact that the same model is produced at morethan one facility, a single vehicle's dimensions do not provide areasonable statistical sample size. In contrast, embodiments of theinventive system and methods would allow measurements to be taken duringthe build/manufacturing process on the assembly line. The informationcollected via “in process scanning” could be used in several differentways, as described in greater detail below.

So far, the discussion has included the possibility of capturingundamaged vehicle measurements on completely assembled vehicles procuredfrom a car dealership. However, note that embodiments of the proposedinvention have the capability to take measurements of any aspect of thevehicle during the production process. Typically, to take measurementsin the production line it would be necessary to use more than onescanner at the same time.

To fully scan the underbody, upperbody or any other full surface on anautomobile, multiple scanners would be required. Each scanner would haveits own field of view (FOV) and this field of view would overlap byapproximately 20% the view of a structured light scanner on either side(the adjacent scanners). In the case of an end scanner, it would onlyoverlap the view of one scanner, on the side closest to the middle ofthe array. Having an overlap in fields of view provides common points ofreference for each scanner to its adjoining scanner. This would allowthe field of view to appear as one continuous scan rather than severalindividual scans.

The array of structured light scanners can be fixed at a convenientpoint along the manufacturing assembly line and positioned so that ascan of the array can cover the entire surface of the vehicle presented.In this way, the movement of the vehicle body along the assembly linecan provide the motion necessary to scan the length & width of thevehicle. Field tests have proven this scanning could be performed withan accuracy of 1 mm or less at up to a maximum of 2 feet per secondspeed of the production line. Normal speed of an automotive productionline is significantly less than 2 feet per second.

In general, these measurements are taken with respect to two imaginaryreference lines. One line is considered to be running lengthwise downthe center of the vehicle and a second reference line runs across thewidth of the vehicle at midpoint between front and rear. Using these twolines, an X, Y coordinate system can be established to describe thelocation of each measured point relative to these reference lines.

Collecting data during the build process can be implemented as follows.The normal viewing area of a scanner is not typically sufficient to scanthe underbody of a vehicle as it moves down the production line.However, it is possible to “gang” several of the scanners together andscan the entire underbody in a single pass. This is done by having aknown or determinable degree of “overlap” in the field of view for eachscanner relative to the adjacent scanner(s). By virtue of this overlap,a composite of the entire vehicle can be accurately measured in a singlepass. This can be done at a speed of up to 2 feet/second. This value wassupplied by the manufacturer of the scanner and confirmed by fieldtesting. A scanner should be capable of processing a vehicle at speedequal to or greater than that of an OEM production line; in most cases,an OEM would not slow the line in order to acquire data.

The gathered information can be used in multiple ways. First, the scandata could be associated with the VIN number of the vehicle scanned.Once tied to the VIN, it is possible not just to provide a specificationfor repair for a representative model, but to actually compare a damagedvehicle to its own unique dimensions at the time of manufacture. Second,the data from multiple vehicles can be compiled and statisticallyanalyzed to provide a plurality of samples, which provides a much moreacceptable sample size than the method currently used which involvesmeasuring one vehicle only. The data gathered can be utilized by the OEMto monitor wear and tear on dies in the production process that canproduce “fit error” and “stack up error” in the manufactured product (asdescribed in greater detail below):

-   -   Sheet metal components utilized in modern automobile production        are typically manufactured in a stamping process. Stamping        involves taking a flat sheet of gauge sheet metal and forming it        into a desired shape by bending it around a set of dies.        Typically, the die stamping set has multiple steps to        manufacture a component with all of the desired holes, slots,        and contours required. Over time the dies used to produce the        component wear. The wear on the dies can create an error in the        part being fabricated that can cause it to deviate from the        original design. The die wear occurs gradually and typically        results in incrementally increasing departure from standard or        desired sizes. Modern manufacturing techniques recognize this        fact and engineering design allows for some degree of deviation        in a part. However, at some point the part will not be within        the tolerances required to mate with an adjacent panel or        mounted mechanical component. This situation causes an error,        and the failure is termed a “fit error”;    -   Another type of error that can present a problem in volume        manufacturing is that of “stack up error”. Stack up error is        caused when no single individual component is out of        specification by an amount that makes it defective, but the        total combined errors in a group of single parts makes the        assembly or sub-assembly not adequate for its intended purpose.

By taking the measurements as part of the production line, the processof developing data will be streamlined and become much more accurate, aswell as more efficient, thereby reducing costs. A 3D structured lightscanner used as described herein will not only locate the referencepoints, but will also measure the dimensions of the slot, bolt, stud, orhole as the scan is taken. This approach/process would also eliminatethe need to remove panels from the underside of the vehicle because themeasurements can be taken prior to installation of the panels. Finally,the 3D scan should also eliminate the need for separate pointrecognition photographs, as the 3D image can be reliable and sufficientto aid a technician in identifying the points while under the car.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the primary elements, stages,processes, functions, or components of an embodiment of a system andmethods for the repair of Automobile Upper Body Damage. FIGS. 2(a) and2(b) are flowcharts or flow diagrams illustrating steps or stages of aprocess, operation, function, or method for repairing a damaged vehiclein accordance with one or more embodiments of the inventive system andmethods described herein. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a damagedvehicle, showing its door and side panel(s), and that may be the subjectof an embodiment of the inventive system and methods. FIG. 4 is adiagram illustrating a set of measurements on a door of a damagedvehicle that may be made using one or more embodiments of the inventivesystem and methods described herein. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating aset of measurements on a rear end of a damaged vehicle that may be madeusing one or more embodiments of the inventive system and methodsdescribed herein. Further details regarding the diagrams and theoperation of the systems and methods described herein may be found inthe Appendix.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating elements or components that may bepresent in a computer device or system configured to implement a method,process, function, or operation in accordance with an embodiment of theinvention. As noted, in some embodiments, the system and methodsdescribed herein may be implemented in the form of an apparatus thatincludes a processing element and set of executable instructions. Theexecutable instructions may be part of a software application andarranged into a software architecture. In general, an embodiment of theinvention may be implemented using a set of software instructions thatare designed to be executed by a suitably programmed processing element(such as a CPU, GPU (graphics processing unit), microprocessor,processor, controller, computing device, etc.). In a complex applicationor system such instructions are typically arranged into “modules” witheach such module typically performing a specific task, process,function, or operation. The entire set of modules may be controlled orcoordinated in their operation by an operating system (OS) or other formof organizational platform.

Each application module or sub-module may correspond to a particularfunction, method, process, or operation that is implemented by themodule or sub-module. Such function, method, process, or operation mayinclude those used to implement one or more aspects of the system andmethods described herein, such as for:

-   -   capturing and processing measurement data obtained from a 3D        structured light scanner;    -   if available, accessing a vehicle upper body specification data        base;    -   if needed, “mirroring” some or all of the captured data;    -   comparing the “mirrored” data to measurements for a damaged        vehicle or portion of a vehicle; and    -   generating a display showing desired corrections for a damaged        vehicle or portion of a vehicle.

Example embodiments of the present general inventive concept can also beachieved when data is not yet available for a statistically valid numberof example vehicles or vehicle assemblies or sub-assemblies, andtherefore the actual vehicle being repaired is used where possible toprovide the baseline or correct measurements, orientations, alignments,etc. Note that as an alternative, or if the condition of the actualdamaged vehicle is such that it cannot be used for measurements, then anoption is to use an undamaged vehicle of the same year, make, model,etc. for purposes of making the measurements (this is similar toconstructing a single vehicle specification database or dataset).

Embodiments of the present general inventive concept can also be appliedwhen a database containing reference data for a statistically validnumber of vehicles is available (presumably of the same relevantparameters or characteristics, such as one or more of the same year,frame, body, model, finish, accessory packages, etc.) as the vehiclebeing repaired. In the example embodiments, one or more 3D structuredlight scanning devices or apparatuses can used, such as an Artec EVAscanner, described at https://www.artec3d.com/.

At present, none of the vehicles currently on the road have an upperbody specification data set available to a repair shop, so there is aneed for a method to repair these vehicles even in the absence of adatabase. As recognized by the present inventors, this problem can beaddressed by a process known as symmetrical measuring. In this process,the undamaged side of a vehicle may be scanned and used to generate atemplate image. The template image from the undamaged side of thevehicle will then be “mirror imaged” by appropriate software operations.In the next step, a scan of the damaged side of the vehicle is taken.The “mirror image” of the undamaged side of the vehicle is then overlaidby the software onto the scan of the damaged side. The software wouldthen display a colorized image depicting the magnitude and direction ofdamage in a very similar manner to a comparison against dimensionalspecifications in the database. While this methodology workssufficiently well for a repair, it is time consuming because both thedamaged and undamaged sides of the car have to be scanned. Additionally,note that in a direct hit to the front or back of a vehicle, there maynot remain an undamaged portion that can be used as a basis forcomparison for achieving symmetry.

To illustrate this, consider two different scenarios. In the firstinstance, a vehicle has struck a power pole on the right front, damagingthe headlight and right front fender. In this case, the shop could scanthe undamaged left side, mirror image that side, and then compare theundamaged side to the damaged side for preparing an estimate as well asfor developing a repair plan. However, in a second scenario the vehiclehas squarely struck a wall, severely damaging the entire front of thevehicle. In such an instance, the only way to produce a specification isto find a known undamaged vehicle of the same make, model, and trim togenerate a specification. In most instances this would be inefficient,as it would slow down the operation until proper arrangements were madeto have an undamaged vehicle measured offsite, in order to provide acomparison image and dimensions. In most cases such a delay is notacceptable to the customer wanting the vehicle repaired and back inservice.

In this manner, embodiments of the proposed invention can providecritical information necessary to developing and executing a repairplan, in the absence of a suitable database. The information in therepair plan allows the collision repair facility to document damage forits proposal to the insurance company. The information contained in theproposal would display the damage in visual and numerical formats. Thisinformation or report would allow insurance adjusters to assess thedamage repair proposal for compensation purposes. However, note thatthis is not the optimum solution due the unacceptable wait time if arepair shop has to locate a vehicle, negotiate a price to pay for takingthe vehicle off site, and then actually make a symmetrical image forcomparison purposes.

Embodiments of the present general inventive concept provide thehardware and software process(es) necessary to measure undamagedvehicles ahead of time and store the information in an extractabledatabase. The proposed system is configured to measure straight linedistances, surface distances, and provide images of the vehicles forcomparison in the software to damage sustained on the upper body of anautomobile. By having this information readily available in anextractable database associated with the software, the process becomesmuch more efficient and less costly for the end user than if they had toprocure a vehicle and make their own image for comparison.

In the case where a database containing specification data is available,the 3D structured light scanning methodology and technologies describedherein enable data to be gathered from an undamaged vehicle and compiledinto a database to be used for the correct placement of these criticalpoints when a vehicle is being repaired. The “upper body database” canbe incorporated into a software system which, after scanning a damagedvehicle, can be used to compare control point locations and positions inspace relative to the correct placement of those points on the controlautomobile body dimensions provided in the database. The results of thecomparison can then be displayed visually and any displacementdocumented numerically as well, so that both the degree and direction ofdamage can be assessed as a repair plan is developed and executed.

Currently, underbody or frame specifications are taken or collected by avery laborious and expensive process. To create a single vehicleinspection database, the company taking the measurements typicallyarranges with a new car dealer to pay a fee for the opportunity to takea new and undamaged vehicle off the dealer site to measure criticalpoints on the frame. After taking the vehicle to the measuring facility,the car is placed on a lift so the technicians can access the undersideof the car. Specific control points (i.e., reference points used toestablish the dimensions and contour of the automobile frame or underbody) are selected over the entire underbody of the vehicle. Typically,somewhere in the range of 20-30 individual points per vehicle aredefined and measured.

To obtain measurements for the third dimension (Z or height) animaginary reference plane is established at a fixed distance below theframe; Z dimension measurements are taken with respect to this plane. Ifthe height/level of the reference plane is established 200 mm below thelowest point on the frame, then the height or Z dimension measurementfor each point will be 200 mm plus the distance of the point above thelowest point.

In order to obtain 20-30 measurement points for reference, it is oftennecessary to remove cover panels in order to access a specific point.These panels are typically part of the automobile body and have beenplaced to improve aerodynamics or to protect a part of the vehicle fromdamage. The process of determining which panels to remove, removingthem, making a measurement, and replacing the panels is slow and timeconsuming, and presents the potential for causing damage to a newvehicle. Furthermore, it is also necessary to describe various controlpoints so that they can be identified in the software as a bolt, stud,slot, or hole. The diameter size of each of these points is also definedto facilitate the attachment of magnetic connectors in the repairprocess. Finally, photographs are taken of each control point to make iteasier for a technician to properly identify the point(s) beingmeasured.

However, the specifications gathered in the current approach tounderbody database construction are representative of only oneundamaged/new vehicle. This is a commonly accepted practice in theindustry. However, considering the number of vehicles of any modelproduced, and the fact that the same model is produced at more than onefacility, a single vehicle's dimensions do not provide a reasonablestatistical sample size. In contrast, embodiments of the inventivesystem and methods would allow measurements to be taken during the buildprocess on the assembly line. The information collected could be used inseveral different ways, as described in greater detail below.

Up to this point we have only discussed the possibility of capturingundamaged vehicle measurements on completely assembled vehicles procuredmainly from a car dealership. However, the proposed invention has thecapability to take measurements of any aspect of the vehicle during theproduction process. To take measurements in the production line it wouldbe necessary to use more than one scanner at the same time.

To fully scan the underbody or any other full surface on an automobile,multiple scanners would be required. Each scanner would have its ownfield of view and this field of view would overlap by approximately 20%the view of a structured light scanner on either side (the adjacentscanners). In the case of an end scanner, it would only overlap the viewof one scanner, on the side closest to the middle of the array. Havingan overlap in fields of view provides common points of reference foreach scanner to its adjoining scanner(s). This would allow the field ofview to appear as one continuous scan rather than several individualscans. This can be done to create a statistically valid specificationdatabase. Here, the array of scanners can be fixed at a convenient pointalong the manufacturing assembly line and positioned so that the scan ofthe array would cover the entire surface of the vehicle presented. Inthis way, the movement of the vehicle body along the assembly line wouldprovide the motion necessary to scan the length of the vehicle. Fieldtests have proven this scanning could be performed with an accuracy of 1mm or less at up to a maximum of 2 feet per second speed of theproduction line.

In general, these measurements can be taken with respect to tworeference lines. One line is considered to be running lengthwise downthe center of the vehicle and a second reference line runs across thewidth of the vehicle at midpoint. Using these two lines, an X, Ycoordinate system can be established to describe the location of eachmeasured point relative to these reference lines.

Collecting data during the build/manufacturing process can beimplemented as follows. The normal viewing area of a scanner is notsufficient to scan the underbody of a vehicle as it moves down theproduction line. However, it is possible to “gang” several of thescanners together and scan the entire underbody in a single pass. Thisis done by having a known or determinable degree of “overlap” in thefield of view for each scanner relative to the adjacent scanner(s). Byvirtue of this overlap, a composite of the entire vehicle can beaccurately measured in a single pass. This can be done at a speed of upto 2 feet/second. This value was supplied by the manufacturer of thescanner. A scanner should be capable of processing a vehicle at speedequal to or greater than that of an OEM production line; in most cases,an OEM would not slow the line in order to acquire data.

The gathered information can be used in multiple ways. First, the scandata could be tied to the VIN number of the vehicle scanned. Once tiedto the VIN, it would be possible not just to provide a specification forrepair of a representative model, but to actually compare a damagedvehicle to its own unique dimensions at the time of manufacture. Second,the data from multiple vehicles can be compiled and statisticallyanalyzed to provide a much more acceptable sample size than the methodcurrently used, which involves measuring one vehicle only. Finally, thedata gathered could be utilized by the OEM to monitor wear and tear ondies in the production process that can produce “fit error” and “stackup error” in the manufactured product (as described in greater detailbelow):

As mentioned above, sheet metal components utilized in modern automobileproduction are typically manufactured in a stamping process. Stampinginvolves taking a flat section of gauge sheet metal and forming it intoa desired shape by bending it around a set of dies. Typically, the diestamping set has multiple steps to manufacture a component with all ofthe desired holes, slots, and contours required. Over time the dies usedto produce the component wear. The wear on the dies can create an errorin the part being fabricated which can cause it to deviate from theoriginal design. The die wear occurs gradually and typically results inincrementally increasing departure from standard or desired sizes.Modern manufacturing techniques recognize this fact and engineeringdesign allows for some degree of deviation in a part. However, at somepoint the part will not be within the tolerances required to mate withan adjacent panel or mounted mechanical component. This situation causesan error, and the failure is termed a “fit error.”

Another type of error that can present a problem in volume manufacturingis that of “stack up error”. Stack up error is caused when no singleindividual component is out of specification by an amount that makes itdefective, but the total combined errors in a group of single partsmakes the assembly or sub-assembly not adequate for its intendedpurpose.

By taking the measurements as part of the production line, the processof developing data will be streamlined and become much more accurate, aswell as more efficient, thereby reducing costs. A 3D structured lightscanner used as described herein will not only locate the referencepoints, but will also measure the dimensions of the slot, bolt, stud, orhole as the scan is taken. This approach/process would also eliminatethe need to remove panels from the underside of the vehicle because themeasurements can be taken prior to installation of the panels. Finally,the 3D scan should also eliminate the need for separate pointidentification photographs, as the 3D structured light image should besufficient to aid a technician in identifying the points while under thecar.

At present, upper body and underbody specifications (if such data wasavailable) are typically, of necessity, treated as two separate entitiesand nowhere can an information set be found that captures therelationship of the underbody and upperbody control points to eachother. One of the challenges is that no such database exists (i.e., onethat creates a relationship between upper body and under body points)because until now there was no process capable of producing an upperbodyspecification, due to limitations of the available technology. However,the proposed 3D structured light scanning process described herein cannot only produce the currently unavailable upperbody database, but alsohas the capability to not only relate upperbody openings and safetydevices to each other, but to locate these points with respect to theavailable underbody points. The ability to combine these data sets isdue to the 3D structured light scanner's ability (along with otheraspects of the inventive system and methods) to measure other thanstraight line distances. Thus, a known underbody control point can belocated with respect to a known upper body control point (door hingepoint for example).

This capability provides a known relationship between the designatedunderbody control points and other underbody points. The process alsoprovides a known relationship among the upper body control points andthe other upper body critical points. Thus, note that once arelationship is established between the upper body control point and theunderbody control point, a relationship among all points in both datasets can be established.

With the embodiments of the 3D structured light system and methodsdescribed herein, it is possible to relate these two databases toprovide a holistic representation of all points to each other. Forexample, if the two specific control points on the underbody weregeometrically referenced to the door hinge points in the upper body andall points on the upper body were referenced to the door hinge points,and all underbody points referenced to the specified points, then bydefault all upper body and underbody points could be referenced to eachother. This type of relationship would present a complete 3D image ofthe entire vehicle for use in the repair process.

Referring to the figures, in a conventional repair to be done in theabsence of a suitable database containing vehicle specifications, thedamaged vehicle can be brought into the shop and secured to a framemachine for measuring and repair. An initial step in an upper bodyrepair is to visually inspect the vehicle for damage. If, for example,the passenger side of the vehicle had observable damage; the first stepwould be to scan the same area on the opposite side of the vehicle(driver side). This can be done because vehicles are almost exclusivelysymmetrical. That is, scanning the undamaged side of the vehicle gives acomparative image for comparison to the damaged side.

In a next operation, a “mirror image” of the undamaged side of thevehicle can be generated and used as the comparative standard. This isdone by a manipulation of the scanned data in the software. When themirror image has been generated, the damaged side of the car can bescanned, which produces a visual image of that side of the vehicle. Themirror image and damaged image are overlaid in the software, anddiscrepancies are highlighted by different colours based on the degreeof damage. In general, damage within a minor tolerance band will beyellow and any damage above the first tolerance band maximum limit willbe red.

This comparison will show not only where the damage is located, but alsothe degree and direction of damage. Such a comparison will allow theshop to begin formulation of a repair plan and to determine whether torecommend repairing components or replacing them.

After an upper body database is built, the repair process can besomewhat the same. The damaged vehicle would be bought into the shop andmounted on the frame straightening machine. The technician would thenfirst select a specification view of the undamaged passenger side bodyfrom our upper body database. This would be done by selecting the year,make, model, and view desired. From that point the process would be thesame. After scanning the damaged side of the vehicle, it would beoverlaid on the specification image and damage degree and directionwould be displayed in the same manner as a symmetrical measurementrepair.

While innovative and able to capture upper body vehicle specifications,this technology transforms the manner in which the current underbodyspecifications are taken. Presently, the methodology used by allcompanies who produce data for underbody databases is to make afinancial arrangement with a new car dealer to take a new vehicle of themost current year off the dealer's property for measurement.

At an offsite facility, points that are critical to the repair processcan be measured for their relative location to each other on the frame(x/y/z coordinates). In order to take these measurements, in manyinstances, protective covers put in place primarily to improveaerodynamics and reduce drag must be removed. Each point is thendescribed as to being a hole, slot, nut, bolt or stud. The diameter andthickness of the bolt heads or length of protrusion on the studs arenoted as well. Then, each control point can be photographed to aid thetechnician in identification when trying to locate this point during themeasuring and repair operation.

Performing the total scope of this work and measuring a single model ofone vehicle typically involves several people, can take several days,and has the possibility of damaging the vehicle in some manner. Forexample, the paint can be scratched, wiring broken, removable panels(usually plastic) can be broken. In this case, the measuring company isresponsible for making the repair at an additional cost beyond what waspaid to “rent” the vehicle for measuring in the first place. Costs forsuch measuring is excessive.

Measuring a single vehicle does not represent a valid statistical samplefrom even one manufacturing plant let alone the entire production of agiven model at several different manufacturing lines. Additionally, asingle vehicle measuring approach, does not take into account wear ondies and the variation this wear introduces over time in a componentpart. However, ganging these 3D structured light scanners to measureframe control points during the manufacturing process solves severalproblems and produces data that can be used in multiple ways. First,making a specification for a vehicle and coordinating that set of datawith a specific, manufacturing process, allows the information to beassigned to a specific VIN (Vehicle Identification Number), which is anidentifier that stays with a vehicle for its entire life cycle. In thismanner a specific vehicle's data can be stored in the cloud. When thatspecific vehicle is involved in an accident, the VIN can be utilized tocall up the frame data for that specific vehicle and the vehicle can nowbe restored to dimensions representative of the model, but morespecifically, will allow the vehicle to be restored to the dimensionswith which it left the factory.

Taking data in this manner provides several advantages over the presentmethod of making underbody (frame) specifications. One improvement isthat even if data specific to a given vehicle is not chosen for use, theongoing collection of data from the manufacturing process provides amuch more accurate data sample size. This data can then be organized ina manner the would allow a Model “X” to have a unique data set for thosevehicles manufactured out of a specific facility. This is relevant astoday it is a very common occurrence to find that a vehicle manufacturedin a US based factory does not have the same frame/suspension/hardwaredimensions as the same model vehicle made in a plant in Mexico or evenat another US based facility.

Taking data continuously using 3D structured light ganged scannersproduces additional benefits over the current methodology. For example,a new vehicle need not be removed from a dealer facility, which savesmoney in the data collection process. Second, manpower is not requiredto take the specifications. This eliminates the possibility of mistakesmade by humans and reduces the possibility of vehicle damage caused byworkers in the process. It can also increase worker safety. In addition,a 3D model scan of the vehicle can be used to produce photographicquality images, which aid the repair technician in the repair process bymaking point(s) of interest more easily identifiable. Also, data can beavailable the first day a specific model comes off the production line.Currently there is an interval between the first day a vehicle isproduced and when data is available for repair that is a consequence ofthe current method of taking data from a vehicle off a dealer lot.

The example embodiments of the present systems and methods using 3Dstructured light scanning technology can also be applied at autoauctions to certify that vehicles being sold through the auction processhave no frame damage. This would be particularly useful for vehiclesthat do not get repaired via the traditional insurance payment process,which is the basis for generating a vehicle condition document such as aCar Fax. Note that this would be of particular value to fleet leasingcompanies. These companies are typically self-insured and make repairsto damaged vehicles themselves, and do not generate a conditiondocument. Absence of a condition document often causes a rental vehiclesold at auction to sell for substantially less than the same model,mileage, trim vehicle that has a condition document, potentially costingrental companies hundreds of thousands of dollars per year when sellingoff portions of their fleet.

Additional applications of the present general inventive concept can befound in:

Trailer Axle Alignment.

Consider the trailers pulled behind commercial trucks. These trailershave two axles that, for optimum performance, need to be parallel witheach other and perpendicular to the longitudinal center-line of thetrailer (i.e., properly aligned relative to each other and to thedimensions of the trailer). If the axles not parallel with each other,out of perpendicular with the trailer center-line, or both, theninefficiencies are created. This is because under such conditions, thetires are not properly rolling across the road surface, but becomepartially dragged across the surface as they rotate. Thus, the improperalignment (out of parallel/perpendicular conditions) may cause excessivefuel use and also increase tire wear.

Example embodiments of the present general inventive concept can also beconfigured to determine if the axles are in parallel with each other andperpendicular to the trailer center-line. This may be accomplished, forexample, by fixing a target to the trailer kingpin & mounting targets onthe trailer axles' ends near the wheels. Triangulating the distanceuntil each side is equal in measurement to the other side of a givenaxle would mean that the axle was perpendicular to the center-line. Onceeach axle is located in this manner, they will, by default, be parallelwith each other. Verifying these axle alignment issues during routinemaintenance exercises would help reduce tire wear and minimize oreliminate excessive fuel use;

Railroad Car Carriage Alignment.

Another use of an embodiment is to align the undercarriage (wheeltrucks) on railroad cars. If the axles are not parallel on rail cars orif they are not perpendicular with the center-line of the railcar, thenthe steel wheel flange rubs on the rail. This wears out the wheel,causing premature wheel failure. A similar system to that describedabove for aligning/confirming trailer location can be applied to therailroad wheel trucks. This can be performed on some regular basis aspart of the maintenance routine.

Embodiments of the present general inventive concept can also be appliedto enhance security at locations or buildings of interest to federalgovernment where buildings, locations, regions, borders, etc. aresubject to heightened security. Here, locations for the scanning systemmight include Federal (U.S.) property such as, but not limited to,consulates, military bases, research facilities, points of entry andexit from US borders, Federal buildings, Federal Institutions, etc.Thus, embodiments of the invention can enhance protection and overallsecurity whenever a vehicle or other form of transport isguided/directed onto Federal property or any area of Federal interest.

Current methods or approaches utilize a visual inspection carried out bya human inspector—this may include the use of one or more of a canine(K9), mirrors, flashlights, etc. to identify an inconsistency in theappearance of the underbody, axle, carriage, etc. suggesting an anomalyor suspicious item (such as a hidden package or item, a modified elementof the vehicle suggesting a hiding space or possible use fortransporting contraband or an explosive device). This may be used inconjunction with driver and/or passenger interview(s) to findinconsistencies in explanations for a trip or an aspect of the vehicle.

In contrast, in some embodiments of the 3D structured light scanningsystem described herein, each vehicle or transport can drive oversensors or an array of sensors that have been recessed in the ground orin a channel or structure (such as a slightly elevated path) over whichthe vehicle is driven in order to scan the underbody of the vehicle ortransport. The sensors or sensor array can operate to generate a scan ofthe underbody and an image generated from that scan (possibly along withdata obtained from the scan) is provided to a human inspector. If thehuman inspector identifies a concern or issue, the generated image, dataand any notes or comments may be passed to another inspector (at thesame or another location) for further analysis and investigation.

In some embodiments, the scanned image and/or related data may becompared to corresponding date obtained from a database containing OEMspecifications for the year, make, and/or model of the vehicle ortransport. Comparison or analysis between the data used to generate thescanned image (or the image itself) and the OEM specification data (or acorresponding image) may be performed by a suitably programmed dataprocessor or device (such as a processor programmed with a set ofcomputer-executable instructions) to compare the scanned underbodyand/or data collected by the scanning process to the actual OEM specsand in doing so, detect modifications, hidden items, alterations to theexpected dimensions, appearance, indentations, etc. In some embodiments,this may include the determination of one or more dimensions orcharacteristics of the vehicle or transport from the OEM data and/orfrom the scanned data or image.

Machine learning using a suitable set of training data on similarvehicles, transports, tires, wheels, mirrors, attachments, etc. may beused to assist in identifying alterations, modifications, or otherwisesuspicious elements or structures—this may be combined with photographs,other forms of scans, etc. to assist in the identification. Due to theability of such devices to measure surface dimensions in addition tostraight line dimensions, the inventor recognized that an upperbodydatabase (which was needed, but non-existent) could be created using theexample embodiments described herein. Further, the 3D structured lightscanner could be positioned/utilized in a manner that would allowexisting underbody control point data to be spatially related to the 3Dgenerated upper body control points in the upperbody database.Additionally, the structured light scanner could be used to measure “incabin” control points and relate them spatially to the upperbody &underbody control points.

One of the advantages of the present solution regarding the applicationof a 3D structured light scanning device is the ability to relate thephysical dimensions of every vehicle to spatial coordinate systemscommonly utilized in the collision repair industry. Additionally, themeasured/collected data needs to be processed by “user friendly”software, and use displays and user inputs that permit a technician ofnormal skill and training to effectively use the system.

The software that is standard with a commercially available 3Dstructured light scanner is used primarily for reverse engineering andis quite cumbersome, even though it is simply capturing measurements torecreate or analyze a given physical part. In contrast, in order to makethe 3D structured light scanner a viable tool for use in analysingdamage sustained by an automobile in an accident, the software not onlymust capture the dimensions of the vehicle, but also be specificallyconfigured to compare the actual “as measured” damaged dimensions to aselected standard baseline. The control system software can utilize aminimum of two different types of baseline measurements; those containedin a database which would be part of the operating software, or if nodata is available, dimensions taken from an undamaged section of thevehicle being repaired. Further, the existing software can be modifiedto accept available data for a specific vehicle make, model, trim & yearof manufacture.

In order to address the aforementioned requirements, the commercial(existing) software provided can be modified to relate measured damage(whether taken from a database accessed within the system or frommeasuring an undamaged portion of the vehicle) to an X, Y, Z coordinatesystem utilized as an industry standard. The existing software can alsobe modified to take “as measured” undamaged vehicle components and“mirror image” (i.e., flip, rotate, translate as needed) thosemeasurements for comparative use as a baseline for calculating themagnitude of displacement of a damaged part or region of the vehicle.Also, no matter whether the system is using data taken from an undamagedpart of the vehicle or from a database, it is configured to illustrate,both numerically and visually, the degree and direction of damage ateach discrete point of interest, as well as in the composite.

In order to accomplish the above tasks, in some embodiments, thesoftware cam be modified to accept either “as measured” dimensions orsoftware database contained dimensions, and convert those to an industrystandard format. The software can also be modified to display thecomparative damaged measurements in numeric and visual formats orpresentations. This comparison is important to developing the repairplan for the vehicle or for determining that the vehicle damage isbeyond economical repair guidelines. The scope of work needed toaccomplish the changes or modifications to the existing commerciallyavailable 3D structured light software can involve significantmodification to the existing software code. These modifications caninclude deletion of extraneous code, modification of existing code, andintegration of several subroutines to make the software more userfriendly for technicians of normal skill level and knowledge. Inaddition, the software can be modified to work with an existingunderbody database of vehicle specifications plus incorporate dataupdates, which are issued multiple times per year.

Example embodiments of the present general inventive concept can beachieved using a set of structured light scanners as described herein tocollect data during the manufacturing process to form a specificationdatabase, which may be referred to later by repair shops—also, that ascanner array could tie the “manufacturing scan’ to a VIN number andprovide a specification data set specific to a vehicle, so that the carcould be compared to its own “footprint” rather than to a genericspecification. Additionally, “manufacturing scans” can make dataavailable immediately and eliminate the “dead period” between when avehicle comes off the assembly line and when it is measured and enteredinto a database. This “scanning in process” makes data available morequickly and less expensively, most likely cutting cost of acquiring databy 50% or more. Further, one such scanner and the use of softwareconfigured to mirror data can be used to create a full data set for aspecific vehicle and thus could be used to improve repairs.

At present there is no way to accurately measure the curvature of theupper body surfaces. All that happens currently is that a technicianlooks at a static outline of an opening (door, window, trunk, etc.) andmanually measures the opening on the vehicle and compares measurementsto the PDF outline from the manufacturer; and the process flows 1-3illustrated in FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b) represent the inventor's recognitionthat 3D structured light scanners of the correct type can be used tomeasure the curvature of modern automobile surfaces and assist ingenerating a database that does not exist at present. The inventivesystem and methods can relate the under body, upper body, & “in cabin”control points to each other. This effectively allows “measurementaround corners” to provide a comprehensive model of all control pointson the vehicle.

The application modules and/or sub-modules may include any suitablecomputer-executable code or set of instructions (e.g., as would beexecuted by a suitably programmed processor, microprocessor, or CPU),such as computer-executable code corresponding to a programminglanguage. For example, programming language source code may be compiledinto computer-executable code. Alternatively, or in addition, theprogramming language may be an interpreted programming language such asa scripting language. The computer-executable code or set ofinstructions may be stored in (or on) any suitable non-transitorycomputer-readable medium. In general, with regards to the embodimentsdescribed herein, a non-transitory computer-readable medium may includealmost any structure, technology or method apart from a transitorywaveform or similar medium.

As described, the system, apparatus, methods, processes, functions,and/or operations for implementing an embodiment of the invention may bewholly or partially implemented in the form of a set of instructionsexecuted by one or more programmed computer processors such as a centralprocessing unit (CPU) or microprocessor. Such processors may beincorporated in the circuitry and components of an apparatus, server,client or other computing or data processing device operated by, or incommunication with, other components of the system. As an example, FIG.6 is a diagram illustrating elements or components that may be presentin a computer device or system 500 configured to implement a method,process, function, or operation in accordance with an embodiment of theinvention. The subsystems shown in FIG. 6 are interconnected via asystem bus 502. Additional subsystems include a printer 504, a keyboard506, a fixed disk 508, and a monitor 510, which is coupled to a displayadapter 512. Peripherals and input/output (I/O) devices, which couple toan I/O controller 514, can be connected to the computer system by anynumber of means known in the art, such as a serial port 516. Forexample, the serial port 516 or an external interface 518 can beutilized to connect the computer device 500 to further devices and/orsystems not shown in FIG. 5 including a wide area network such as theInternet, a mouse input device, and/or a scanner. The interconnectionvia the system bus 502 allows one or more processors 520 to communicatewith each subsystem and to control the execution of instructions thatmay be stored in a system memory 522 and/or the fixed disk 508, as wellas the exchange of information between subsystems. The system memory 522and/or the fixed disk 508 may embody a tangible computer-readablemedium.

The 3D structured light scanner system described herein may be used todetect a variety of different types of damage to a motor vehicle. Forexample, various example embodiments of the present general inventiveconcept may also provide a structured light scanner system and method ofmapping structural points of a motor vehicle to estimate the extent ofhail damage to the motor vehicle. Hail damage to motor vehicles is amulti-million dollar annual expense for insurance companies across theUnited states, and presents a very difficult problem for the insurancecompanies to estimate for repair. While finding the damage to the motorvehicle exposed to hail may be relatively straightforward in some cases,the difficulty lies in quantifying the problem of the hail damage. Insome cases the estimate is entirely subjective, with a dealer merelydescribing the damage as they see it, and sending a photograph to theinsurance company. While such photographs may display the cosmeticeffect from the hail, there is no objective method for measuring thedamage. Figure illustrates some typical hail damage to a motor vehicle.As illustrated in FIG. 77 , a motor vehicle 710 has a host of “divots”720 formed on the hood of the motor vehicle, the divots 720 being formedof various sizes, depths, shapes, etc., due to the size of hailstone,angle of impact, and so on. It is noted that the term “divots” is usedgenerally as a dent or other such deformation made in the motor vehiclebody by a hailstone. When a dealer, insurance agent, or other observersees such a photo, it is uncertain whether any of them would considerwhat they see moderate or severe hail damage. FIG. 8 illustrates moresevere hail damage to a motor vehicle. As illustrated in FIG. 88B, amotor vehicle 730 has a great many divots 740 that have caused extensivedamage to the body of the vehicle. The vehicle 730 in FIG. 8 isobviously much more hail damaged than the vehicle 710 shown in FIG. 7 .While the hail damage in FIG. 7 may look severe, especially to thevehicle owner, the damage shown in FIG. 8 completely changes thedefinition of severe hail damage.

In an effort to quantify the description of hail damage, and to createmore realistic and equitable estimates, some insurance companies havetried an approach shown in FIG. 9 . FIG. 9 illustrates the results of aconventional manual estimate of hail damage to a motor vehicle. Asillustrated in FIG. 9 a person has manually drawn circles 770 around thehail damage divots 760 on a motor vehicle 750. The individual divots 760caused by the hailstones are measured for diameter. After measuring thediameter of the divots 760, the number of divots 760 are classifiedbased on the measured diameter. While such steps as these may help inadding some objectivity to the estimate, the photograph and measureddiameters do not tell the entire story of the hail damage. One problemwith such a method is that the diameters measured only account formeasurement in the horizontal dimension, while hail damage does nothappen in only one dimension. Hail damage points also present a depthissue. When repairing hail damage, it can be easier to repair a largediameter but “shallow” divot than it is to repair a smaller diameterdivot that has more depth. Additionally, there is also the issue of thepaint that is affected by the hail damage. A divot may or may notexhibit damage to the paint job. If a divot has damaged the vehicle'spaint, then that issue must be factored into the repair cost equation.Thus, in order to perform all of the above tasks and calculations theinsurance company must send an adjuster to the residence or shop atwhich the damaged vehicle is located.

Various example embodiments of the present general inventive conceptprovide a system that uses the 3D structured light measuring system toestimate hail damage to a motor vehicle, which eliminates all of the“guesstimation” by providing objective measurements. In various exampleembodiments a single scan with the 3D structured light measuring systemcan measure the diameter of all the hail damage divots, and calculatehow much surface area has been affected by a single hail stone. The 3Dstructured light measuring system can also measure the depth of theindividual divots, which is nearly impossibly by manual means. Afterdetermining these measurements, the individual damage points can beassigned a numerical value based on the measured deformities in therespective damage points. Once all the divots have been assigned a“damage value” based on area covered, depth, and paint damage, a cost ofrepair can be assessed very accurately. Having all of this accuratelymeasured information allows for a variety of objective assessments.Individual divots can be categorized based on diameter. For example,divots with diameters of ⅛″ to ¼″ may be classified as “level one”damage, unless the depth of the damage is greater than 0.125″, in whichcase the same diameter damage may be classified as “level two.” Suchextremely accurate measurement information could then be put into amatrix that would make estimation much more accurate and objective, andcould be used in an industry standard for measuring hail damage.

Typically, the most commonly and severely damaged areas of a vehicle arethe roof, hood, and trunk lid. The 3D structured light measuring systemaccording to various example embodiments of the present generalinventive concept can also be used to measure the area of any of thoseportions of a motor vehicle, then the cumulative area of the measureddivots could be compared to the area of the damaged hood, for example,and the determined damage could be displayed as a percentage of thetotal area. In some example embodiments the repair cost could then bedetermined by the calculated percentage. Also, when the light scanner ormeasuring system measures each divot of the hail damage, it can providevisual evidence of paint damage, which can be factored into theestimate. The insurance companies could then conveniently andefficiently use these measurements without the need for sending anestimator to the vehicle site.

Insurance companies could require body shops to have some number ofpersonnel trained to use the 3D structured light scanner properly, andthe scanner could then be leased or loaned to a body shop convenient tothe vehicles needing to be scanned for hail damage. Once the scans arecompleted, they could simply be emailed, or otherwise conveyed, to theinsurance companies. Leasing/renting the scanners could also generatesome revenue for the insurance company to offset a part of the repaircost. Paint-less dent repair companies could offer this form of damageestimation as part of their service for a fee. Paying a small estimationfee would be much more attractive to insurance companies than payingtravel expenses for an onsite estimator. With insurance companies havingthe available data from the 3D scanners in house, it would greatlyreduce or eliminate the need for supplements to the original damageestimate that often occurs when divots are missed or incorrectlydocumented. Using 3D structured light scanning, in various exampleembodiments thresholds could be established such that when a specifiedpercentage of the measured surface area is damaged, the correspondinghood, trunk lid, etc., could automatically qualify for replacement. Forexample, a measured 75% of hood damage could qualify for automaticreplacement of the hood. Guidelines could also be established such thatif a defined number of divots of a specified degree of severity (forexample, Level 4 of 5) occur on a trunk or hood or other such portion,then that portion could automatically qualify for full part replacement.Post-repair scans can be compared to pre-repair scans to confirm thatall individual divots have been repaired.

FIGS. 10A-B illustrate some of the hail divot measurements that may bedetermined by a system and method according to an example embodiment ofthe present general inventive concept. FIG. 10A illustrates a top viewof a hail damage divot 800, and FIG. 10B illustrates a cross section ofthe divot 800. As illustrated in FIG. 10A, the 3D structured lightscanner can be used to measure the diameter of the hail divot 800. Asillustrated in FIG. 10B, the depth of the divot 800 is also measured.According to various predetermined thresholds, a damage value isassigned to the divot according to the severity of both of thosemeasurements. In various example embodiments the system may beconfigured to measure the diameter of the divot across multipledirections, and to determine an overall representative diameter for anirregularly shaped divot. Similarly, the depth of the divot can bedetermined at multiple points in various example embodiments to allowfor a more accurate assessment of the overall damage in each divot.

FIG. 11 is a flow chart illustrating a method of estimating hail damageaccording to an example embodiment of the present general inventiveconcept. It will be understood that various example embodiments mayinclude more or fewer operations, and/or operations that may beperformed differently than those illustrated in this flow chart. Asillustrated in FIG. 11 , in operation 1000 a 3D structured lightmeasuring system or scanner is used to scan an area of a hail-damagedmotor vehicle. In operation 1010 the diameter of each divot is measured,and these measurements are used to determine how much of the totalsurface area of the damaged portion of the vehicle has been affected. Inoperation 1020 the depth of each individual divot is measured. Inoperation 1030 each divot is assigned a numerical damage value based onthe measured deformities of the respective divots. In operation 1040 arepair estimate is determined based on the cumulative damage values ofall of the divots. In various example embodiments the repair estimatecan be automatically sent to the insurance company via, for example,email. Thus, in various example embodiments the same 3D structured lightmeasuring system used for scanning collision damage can be configuredwith software or other such control module to perform the hail damageestimate. Various example embodiments provide such a system in ahandheld, and thus easily and conveniently portable, housing.

According to the Insurance Information Institute, damage related tohailstorms costs between $8 billion and $14 billion every year. Texassees the most impact of any state in the country, with Colorado in aclose second. Comprehensive car insurance, including hail damage carinsurance, typically covers damage to your car from non-collisionevents. These are things like a falling tree, hitting an animal, or aweather-related incident. But filing a claim can be complicated. And anymissteps can leave one dealing with a lengthy restoration process orhaggling with an insurance company for payment. Hailstones can range insize from about ¼ inch to over six inches. They can weigh over a poundand travel at speeds of up to 100 miles per hour. It is easy to see howhail damage can total a vehicle. If one has comprehensive coverage ontheir policy, it will almost certainly cover hail damage, but it's agood idea to double-check. Some policies exclude weather-related eventsand require a special “wind coverage,” especially in areas prone tohailstorms.

The process typically works like this: an insured party files a claimwith their car insurance. Then the insurance company assigns an agent(adjuster) to assess the damage to the vehicle. They may recommend abody shop work on the car. If possible, the insured party may want tohave paintless dent repair, but the insured party has the right tochoose any repair business to repair done to the vehicle. Traditionalrepair methods bang out the dent as much as possible, then use putty tosmooth out the surface. Once the filler dries, the area must then besanded and repainted. Paintless dent repair uses special machines toreturn the surface to its original form. For this reason, the damagedoesn't appear on accident reports, because it was reversed, not fixed.

When an insurance adjuster makes an initial assessment of the damage, heor she may miss something. When this happens, the body shop writes anauto insurance supplement to pay for the difference in the repair cost.This is not uncommon, but it is problematic because it creates aback-and-forth between the insured party, the adjuster, and thetechnicians doing the repairs. The insured party wants their carrestored to its pre-storm condition. But the insurance company wants therepairs to be done as cheaply as possible. Next, the damage may be moresignificant than owner thinks. Dents and dings can be difficult to fix,and can be very expensive to fix. In fact, the average hail claim isaround $6,500. This could translate to greater loss in the future whenthe car is sold. If the owner carries comprehensive insurance, the caris probably in pretty good shape already. Hail damage can dramaticallylower the value of the car, so the owner is motivated to put theinsurance to use and have it fixed, for which the owner will be gratefuldown the road.

Typically, if the hail stones did not damage the vehicle's paint, it maybe a suitable candidate for paintless dent repairs (PDR). A faster andmuch more affordable alternative to conventional, invasive repairs thatfill in and paint over dents, PDR work involves patient metalworking torestore the frame to its original shape. It's even preferred byinsurance companies as the primary method to repair vehicle hail damageand dents without paint damage present. The cost of paintless dentrepairs to fix hail damage will depend on a few factors. The number ofdents caused by hail, as well as the size, depth and location of eachdent will determine how much time it will take for repairs. Costs willdepend on the extent of the hail damage, whether or not the vehicle'spaint has been compromised, and the repair shop selected. It isrecommended to seek out a reputable PDR shop for a free estimate todetermine if PDR or conventional repairs are needed. If the vehicleowner has comprehensive coverage before the damage happens, the haildent repair costs are likely covered (after payment of a pre-determineddeductible). Comprehensive coverage typically pays for damage or theftoccurring outside of collisions, covering expenses like windshieldrepair, hail damage repair, and damage from theft or vandalism.Comprehensive auto insurance plan premiums vary by state, and may behigher in states like South Dakota or Colorado, which are among thehighest for hail damage claims. Yet, without coverage, it can getexpensive to pay out of pocket in entirety to fix dents from hailstorms.The vehicle owner's insurance rates generally will not go up if theowner files a hail damage claim, and the insurance company may even payfor loaner vehicle costs while the car dent repair is being done. It'simportant to file a claim as soon as hail damage occurs. If the vehicleowner fails to repair hail damages when they first occur, the insurancecompany may deny future claims if previous damage exists. If the car isconsidered totaled, meaning the cost to fix the hail damage exceeds thevalue of the car, comprehensive coverage will be denied for the dentremoval cost.

Various example embodiments of the present general inventive concept mayprovide a system of mapping structural points of a motor vehicle, thesystem including one or more structured light scanners configured toscan at least one area of a motor vehicle to determine a plurality ofstructural location points relative to structural deformations caused byhail damage in three-dimensional space representing the at least onearea, and a processor configured for assembling the plurality ofstructural location points to measure a surface area of each of thestructural deformations, the processor being configured to assign afirst numerical value to each structural deformation representing anamount of the surface area of each of the structural deformations, andto estimate total damage to the at least one area based on a summationof the first numerical values. The processor may be configured tomeasure a depth of each of the structural deformations, to assign asecond numerical value to each structural deformation representing adepth of the respective structural deformations, and to estimate thetotal damage to the at least one area based on the summation of thefirst and second numerical values. The first and second numerical valuesmay each be based on a predetermined range of measurements of therespective surface area and depth of the structural deformations. Theprocessor may be configured to estimate a cost of repair of the at leastone area due to the estimated total damage. The processor may beconfigured to recommend replacement of the at least one area if theestimated total damage is higher than a predetermined maximum totaldamage. The processor may be configured to determine a percent of thetotal area that is affected by the measured surface area of all of thestructural deformations. The one or more structured light scanners maybe configured to capture visual images of paint damage associated withthe structural deformities.

Various example embodiments of the present general inventive concept mayprovide a method of mapping structural points of a motor vehicle, themethod including scanning, with one or more structured light sensors, atleast one area of a motor vehicle to determine a plurality of structurallocation points relative to structural deformations caused by haildamage in three-dimensional space representing the at least one area,assembling the plurality of structural location points to measure asurface area of each of the structural deformations, assigning a firstnumerical value to each structural deformation representing an amount ofthe surface area of each of the structural deformations, and estimatingtotal damage to the at least one area based on a summation of the firstnumerical values. The method may further include measuring a depth ofeach of the structural deformations, assigning a second numerical valueto each structural deformation representing a depth of the respectivestructural deformations, and estimating the total damage to the at leastone area based on the summation of the first and second numericalvalues. The first and second numerical values may each be based on apredetermined range of measurements of the respective surface area anddepth of the structural deformations. The method may further includeestimating a cost of repair of the at least one area due to theestimated total damage. The method may further include recommendingreplacement of the at least one area if the estimated total damage ishigher than a predetermined maximum total damage. The method may furtherinclude determining a percent of the total area that is affected by themeasured surface area of all of the structural deformations. The methodmay further include capturing visual images of paint damage associatedwith the structural deformities. The method may further includeautomatically transmitting a report of the estimated total damage to aremote location.

Various example embodiments of the present general inventive concept mayprovide a system of mapping structural points of a motor vehicle, thesystem including structured light scanners configured to scan at leastone area of a motor vehicle to determine a plurality of structurallocation points relative to one another in three-dimensional spacerepresenting the at least one area, the at least one area including atleast one sensor location of at least one sensor, and a processorconfigured for assembling the plurality of structural location pointsand the at least one sensor location into a first map of the at leastone area of the motor vehicle, the processor being configured tocalibrate the at least one sensor location to orientation and field ofview points of the at least one sensor, and to compare the orientationand field of view points of the first map to a baseline map includingbaseline orientation and field of view points to determine deviationbetween the orientation and field of view points of the first map andthe baseline orientation and field of view points of the baseline map.The one or more structured light scanners may be configured to scan theat least one area of the motor vehicle after the at least one area hasbeen damaged, and the processor may be configured to determine thedeviation between the structural location points of the first map andthe baseline map by determining the magnitude and direction of thedamage. The one or more structured light scanners may be configured toscan at least one area of a first motor vehicle to determine a pluralityof first structural location points relative to one another inthree-dimensional space representing the at least one area, and theprocessor may be configured to assemble the first structural locationpoints into a baseline map of the at least one area of the first motorvehicle, the baseline map being configured for comparison to a pluralityof second structural location points representative of a correspondingarea of a second motor vehicle, the second motor vehicle beingrepresentative of the first motor vehicle, and to determine deviationbetween the first structural location points and the second structurallocation points of the first motor vehicle and the second motor vehicle,respectively. If the deviation is determined to be above a predeterminedthreshold, the processor may be configured to generate an alert that thepredetermined threshold has been exceeded. The system may furtherinclude a memory to store a library of baseline maps corresponding to aplurality of different motor vehicles, and the processor may beconfigured to compare the first map to a selected baseline map. Theprocessor may be configured to associate the first map with a vehicleidentification number (VIN) of the motor vehicle. The processor may beconfigured for measuring and collecting control point data for bothupperbody and underbody surfaces of the motor vehicle as the motorvehicle is processed down the production line based on a plurality ofstatistical sampling data sets. The one or more structured lightscanners may include a plurality of structured light scanners configuredto scan various parts of the motor vehicle as it is progressed on theproduction line, and the scanning may include grouping the plurality ofstructured light scanners such that each of the structured lightscanners overlap in scanning area a predetermined distance with anyadjacent ones of the structured light scanners. The processor may beconfigured for capturing individual control point data for an upperbodyand an underbody of the motor vehicle during production, and matchingthe individual control point data to a vehicle identification number(VIN) of the motor vehicle. The system of claim 6, wherein the processoris configured to relate scanned upper body specifications, sensorlocations, upper body control points, or any combination thereof, of themotor vehicle numerically and dimensionally to underbody framedimensions of the motor vehicle in the first map. The processor may beconfigured for comparing stored visual maps of multiple scanned motorvehicles of a common make to determine whether variances in locations ofone or more control points are within predetermined tolerances. Theprocessor may be configured to generate a comparison map based on thedeviation between the first map and the baseline map, and includingcolor shading to indicate degrees of damage. The processor may beconfigured for assembling of the plurality of structural location pointsinto the first map by systematically linking groups of the structurallocation points to other groups of the structural location points toform a complete upperbody of the motor vehicle. The processor may beconfigured to indicate straight line distances and/or surface contourdifferences between control points on the motor vehicle in theassembling of the first map. The processor may be configured forassembling the first map by setting a first axis running lengthwise downa center of the motor vehicle, a second axis running across a width ofthe motor vehicle at a midpoint between front and rear, and a third axisat a fixed distance below a frame of the motor vehicle. The processormay be configured to generate a comparison map based on the deviationbetween the first map and the baseline map, and to generate a repaircost estimate based on the comparison map.

Various example embodiments of the present general inventive concept mayprovide a method of mapping structural points of a motor vehicle, themethod including scanning, with one or more structured light scanners,at least one area of a motor vehicle to determine a plurality ofstructural location points relative to one another in three-dimensionalspace representing the at least one area, the at least one areaincluding at least one sensor location of at least one sensor, andassembling the plurality of structural location points and the at leastone sensor location into a first map of the at least one area of themotor vehicle, calibrating the at least one sensor location toorientation and field of view points of the at least one sensor, andcomparing the orientation and field of view points of the first map to abaseline map including baseline orientation and field of view points todetermine deviation between the orientation and field of view points ofthe first map and the baseline orientation and field of view points ofthe baseline map. The first map may correspond to a damaged side of themotor vehicle, and the method may further include assembling thebaseline map by scanning, with the one or more structured lightscanners, at least one area of an undamaged side of the motor vehiclethat corresponds to the scanned at least one area of the damaged side ofthe motor vehicle, mirroring a plurality of structural location pointsscanned on the undamaged side of the motor vehicle to assemble thebaseline map so as to be representative of the scanned at least one areaof the damaged side of the motor vehicle without damage, and overlayingthe first map and the baseline map to generate a comparison mapdepicting damage and displaced structural location points on the damagedside of the motor vehicle. The first map may correspond to a damagedfirst motor vehicle, and the method may further include assembling thebaseline map by scanning, with the one or more structured lightscanners, at least one area of an undamaged second motor vehicle thatcorresponds to the scanned at least one area of the damaged first motorvehicle, and overlaying the first map and the baseline map to generate acomparison map depicting damage and displaced structural location pointson the damaged first motor vehicle. The baseline map may be associatedwith one or more previously scanned vehicles moving past the one or morestructured light scanners on a production line, and the first map may beassociated with a subsequently scanned vehicle moving past the one ormore structured light scanners on the production line, and the methodmay further include generating a notification in response to thedeviation exceeding a predetermined threshold.

It should be understood that the present invention as described abovecan be implemented in the form of control logic using computer softwarein a modular or integrated manner. Based on the disclosure and teachingsprovided herein, a person of ordinary skill in the art will know andappreciate other ways and/or methods to implement the present inventionusing hardware and a combination of hardware and software.

Any of the software components, processes or functions described in thisapplication may be implemented as software code to be executed by aprocessor using any suitable computer language such as, for example,Java, JavaScript, C++ or Perl using, for example, conventional orobject-oriented techniques. The software code may be stored as a seriesof instructions, or commands in (or on) a non-transitorycomputer-readable medium, such as a random-access memory (RAM), a readonly memory (ROM), a magnetic medium such as a hard-drive or a floppydisk, or an optical medium such as a CD-ROM. In this context, anon-transitory computer-readable medium is almost any medium suitablefor the storage of data or an instruction set aside from a transitorywaveform. Any such computer readable medium may reside on or within asingle computational apparatus, and may be present on or withindifferent computational apparatuses within a system or network.

According to one example implementation, the term processing element orprocessor, as used herein, may be a central processing unit (CPU), orconceptualized as a CPU (such as a virtual machine). In this exampleimplementation, the CPU or a device in which the CPU is incorporated maybe coupled, connected, and/or in communication with one or moreperipheral devices, such as display. In another example implementation,the processing element or processor may be incorporated into a mobilecomputing device, such as a smartphone or tablet computer.

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium referred to hereinmay include a number of physical drive units, such as a redundant arrayof independent disks (RAID), a floppy disk drive, a flash memory, a USBflash drive, an external hard disk drive, thumb drive, pen drive, keydrive, a High-Density Digital Versatile Disc (HD-DVD) optical discdrive, an internal hard disk drive, a Blu-Ray optical disc drive, or aHolographic Digital Data Storage (HDDS) optical disc drive, synchronousdynamic random access memory (SDRAM), or similar devices or other formsof memories based on similar technologies. Such computer-readablestorage media allow the processing element or processor to accesscomputer-executable process steps, application programs and the like,stored on removable and non-removable memory media, to off-load datafrom a device or to upload data to a device. As mentioned, with regardsto the embodiments described herein, a non-transitory computer-readablemedium may include almost any structure, technology or method apart froma transitory waveform or similar medium.

Certain implementations of the disclosed technology are described hereinwith reference to block diagrams of systems, and/or to flowcharts orflow diagrams of functions, operations, processes, or methods. It willbe understood that one or more blocks of the block diagrams, or one ormore stages or steps of the flowcharts or flow diagrams, andcombinations of blocks in the block diagrams and stages or steps of theflowcharts or flow diagrams, respectively, can be implemented bycomputer-executable program instructions. Note that in some embodiments,one or more of the blocks, or stages or steps may not necessarily needto be performed in the order presented, or may not necessarily need tobe performed at all.

These computer-executable program instructions may be loaded onto ageneral-purpose computer, a special purpose computer, a processor, orother programmable data processing apparatus to produce a specificexample of a machine, such that the instructions that are executed bythe computer, processor, or other programmable data processing apparatuscreate means for implementing one or more of the functions, operations,processes, or methods described herein. These computer programinstructions may also be stored in a computer-readable memory that candirect a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus tofunction in a specific manner, such that the instructions stored in thecomputer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture includinginstruction means that implement one or more of the functions,operations, processes, or methods described herein.

While certain implementations of the disclosed technology have beendescribed in connection with what is presently considered to be the mostpractical and various implementations, it is to be understood that thedisclosed technology is not to be limited to the disclosedimplementations. Instead, the disclosed implementations are intended tocover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included withinthe scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employedherein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and notfor purposes of limitation.

This written description uses examples to disclose certainimplementations of the disclosed technology, and also to enable anyperson skilled in the art to practice certain implementations of thedisclosed technology, including making and using any devices or systemsand performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of certainimplementations of the disclosed technology is defined in the claims,and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art.Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims ifthey have structural and/or functional elements that do not differ fromthe literal language of the claims, or if they include structural and/orfunctional elements with insubstantial differences from the literallanguage of the claims.

All references, including publications, patent applications, andpatents, cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the sameextent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicatedto be incorporated by reference and/or were set forth in its entiretyherein.

The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in thespecification and in the following claims are to be construed to coverboth the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein orclearly contradicted by context. The terms “having,” “including,”“containing” and similar referents in the specification and in thefollowing claims are to be construed as open-ended terms (e.g., meaning“including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation ofranges of values herein are merely indented to serve as a shorthandmethod of referring individually to each separate value inclusivelyfalling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and eachseparate value is incorporated into the specification as if it wereindividually recited herein. All methods described herein can beperformed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein orclearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, orexemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merelyto better illuminate embodiments of the invention and does not pose alimitation to the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. Nolanguage in the specification should be construed as indicating anynon-claimed element as essential to each embodiment of the invention.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A system of mapping structural points of avehicle, comprising: one or more structured light scanners configured toscan at least one area of a vehicle to determine a plurality ofstructural location points relative to structural deformations caused byhail damage in three-dimensional space representing the at least onearea; and a processor configured to assemble the plurality of structurallocation points to measure a surface area of each of the structuraldeformations, the processor being configured to assign a first numericalvalue to each structural deformation representing an amount of thesurface area of each of the structural deformations, and to estimatetotal damage to the at least one area based on a summation of the firstnumerical values in the absence of a database of sample datacorresponding to the vehicle.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein theprocessor is configured to measure a depth of each of the structuraldeformations, to assign a second numerical value to each structuraldeformation representing a depth of the respective structuraldeformations, and to estimate the total damage to the at least one areabased on the summation of the first and second numerical values.
 3. Thesystem of claim 2, wherein the first and second numerical values areeach based on a predetermined range of measurements of the respectivesurface area and depth of the structural deformations.
 4. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the processor is configured to estimate a cost ofrepair of the at least one area due to the estimated total damage. 5.The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to recommendreplacement of the at least one area if the estimated total damage ishigher than a predetermined maximum total damage.
 6. The system of claim1, wherein the processor is configured to determine a percent of thetotal area that is affected by the measured surface area of all of thestructural deformations.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the one ormore structured light scanners are configured to capture visual imagesof paint damage associated with the structural deformities.
 8. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to estimate totaldamage to the at least one area based on symmetrical measuring.
 9. Amethod of mapping structural points of a vehicle, the method comprising:scanning, with one or more structured light sensors, at least one areaof a vehicle to determine a plurality of structural location pointsrelative to structural deformations caused by hail damage inthree-dimensional space representing the at least one area; assemblingthe plurality of structural location points to measure a surface area ofeach of the structural deformations; assigning a first numerical valueto each structural deformation representing an amount of the surfacearea of each of the structural deformations; and estimating total damageto the at least one area based on a summation of the first numericalvalues in the absence of a database of sample data corresponding to thevehicle.
 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising measuring a depthof each of the structural deformations, assigning a second numericalvalue to each structural deformation representing a depth of therespective structural deformations, and estimating the total damage tothe at least one area based on the summation of the first and secondnumerical values.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first andsecond numerical values are each based on a predetermined range ofmeasurements of the respective surface area and depth of the structuraldeformations.
 12. The method of claim 9, further comprising estimating acost of repair of the at least one area due to the estimated totaldamage.
 13. The method of claim 9, further comprising recommendingreplacement of the at least one area if the estimated total damage ishigher than a predetermined maximum total damage.
 14. The method ofclaim 9, further comprising determining a percent of the total area thatis affected by the measured surface area of all of the structuraldeformations.
 15. The method of claim 9, further comprising capturingvisual images of paint damage associated with the structuraldeformities.
 16. The method of claim 9, further comprising automaticallytransmitting a report of the estimated total damage to a remotelocation.